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Feel free to add to or edit information in this discussion tab as necessary. Please take time to become familiar with the General Keying Standards and be sure to read all instructions on the main project page. (Please note that in case of a discrepancy, project level instructions always trump general keying standards.)

Contents

Extra Keying Helps

Common Keying Errors Found by Reviewers

Long S

When 2 esses are written, the first may be a long s, which is often mistaken for an f or p. When typeset in early documents, the long s may take several forms, one looks like an f without a cross, as in poſſeſſed, another looks like a very stretched out short s, as in liʃt or congreʃs. All of these forms are keyed as a standard s. --Paulmd199 08:21, 14 April 2011 (UTC)

Mc Names

I have noticed a capital M that looks a lot like a sharp W, that actually is/means Mc-- threw me for loop and until I figured it out.. spent hours trying to figure out MGuire or WGuire, WKinley, WArther, was all about. It little research confirmed the same people in the same location at the same time as McGuire's, McArther's ... Like those olde English double SS's that look like double ff... it's all a learning curve!

Keying Est (Estates)

Questions and Answers

If you have a keying question that is not answered on the project page or in any of the information above, click “EDIT” and ask it here. (If you click on Rich Editor you won't have to worry about formatting your entry.) Then click “WATCH” at the top right on this page and you will be notified via email when an update has been made.Tip: If you want to leave your name at the end of a question key -- and 4 tildes

Suggestions

First, Love Love LOVE the improvements being made to the instructions and the response times. Fantastic! So, this is more of a future 'suggestion'. It would be fabulous if the Page tab included a cheat sheet of sorts, that had all of the keying options in an easy view spreadsheet that we could refer to, or print and use, for the weeks or months needed while keying. EX: one column with all of the townships (or other approved locals) in this project database, one with all of the 'approved' Suffixes and one with all of the 'approved' prefixes. This would help us in searching for hard to read info and reduce the number of errors. I have only keyed about 2000 of these records so far, but something like this would have saved me hours!'

A: One of the things that wiki allows people to do is to create supplemental pages and link them from the main page. A number of them exist. If you are interested. I can create a stub, to be expanded by others. Here's a sample of a user-created page.

Record Order

I just picked up a document (91801902_16) that is a different from any I did before.. first col is all names.. second is land location descriptions (by pokey hill, wild creek eddy...) but...has a 3-4 names thrown in, and then col 16 off to the right has names again. I can make out that the first col is owners, the second is the land situation and building descriptions, and the 16th might be the rentors or occupants?? Both pages are done the same way. Based on what you have seen, do I just key the first col and pick out the names from the second col?

Q: A little confused here. When typing an entry with two names, owner and occupant, that are different, WHERE do you type the second column in? Do you just continue down the list, does it go into the prefix or suffix columns, where does it go? I know it says to type the entire first column, then go back to the top and type the second, if the names are different, but are you just continuing down?

A: yes just keeping adding records. Do first column and then second. -- Wiedwoman 04:54, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: Hi, I'm just starting and my first image has 2 pages of 2 columns of names: first is owner/occupant and second is owner. Some of the same names appear in first column and second column so am confused which column I'm supposed to be entering! The instructions say to enter the owner/occupant and most of the samples only have one column of names and cant find a sample like this sheet: example:

Owner/Occupant

Owner

John Williams

John Williams

John Williams

Adam Hammond

A: Key the first column - top to bottom (owner/occupant) and then key the 2nd column top to bottom. Do not duplicate names. --Wiedwoman 16:42, 4 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: You said to key the first column and then the second column, but it would be easier and faster (and save time) to key in the name in the first column, name in second column on first line and then continue down the page and then like that on the second page. Either way the same names are recorded, and we don't have to keep moving the page around and easier to keep track of which names are recorded since they all seem to be around the same area on the page?

Owner/Occupant

Owner

Geo. Sikes

George Sikes

William Haford

Wm Haford

Sarah Gibbons

Peter Haford

Wm Haford

A: The instructions are clear on how to key the names. It is a headache for the reviewer to realign the lines to follow the instructions. -- Wiedwoman 20:34, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: I'm not sure where to put this question. I started a new set and there are no headers. There are two columns of names followed by about 5 col. of propery descriptions, and then.. another column with names and notes like: 2nd rate James French, 2nd sale Jonas Robison, Jonestown rd Widow Allen...... Should I go ahead and key these?

Names

Q. What do you key when the name is Widow Smith or Captn Flinn? Do you key widow and Captn as prefix and then the last names leaving the given blank?

A. That would be correct. Captn or Widow in the prefix field. Surname in the surname field.

A: Since this project does not have a field for aliases, they must unfortunately be dropped. --Paulmd199 00:56, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

Q. About Junior, Senior and Doctor. The drop down has Dr and Doctor but not many of the abbr. I have run into so I am 'typing as seen' and F7/accepting all of them..Docr, Dotr,Doctr.. Is that right, or can we use the drop down to standardize the prefixes?

A: This is correct. You will key as seen and override the validation. --Paulmd199 00:56, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: Another question along the same lines. I have had several documents with 35-40 names per column. I key the abbreviated form (Alxr, Jos) and then when I come across the expanded spelling I go back and update the abbreviated form to prevent a duplicate name. Am I doing this wrong? Should I leave both?

Thos Abrams

Benjm Button

Alxr Whittfield

Nicholas Wright

Jos Baker

Joseph Baker

Richrd West

Alexander Whittfield

A: I'm inclined to key the most complete name, if listed and then ignore the abbreviated name. Though if the aren't close together you may want to key the abbreviated name too. Don't know how other reviewers would review this. Comments other reviewers?? -- Wiedwoman 19:59, 4 May 2011 (UTC)

A: I agree with Wiedwoman.

Q: Another Names question... would you key this as two separate names or as the fullest version; George Sirkes?

Owner/Occupant

Owner

George Sirke

Geo Sirkes

A: I would only key George Sirkes. -- Wiedwoman 07:01, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: I am having a hard time figuring out whether a name is given or a surname. For example, on the same page, there are "Greer Isaac Rev.", "Thomas Forster", and "McClure James". There are no commas, but I would normally think of Greer, Forster, and McClure to be the surnames. Here I am not sure.

A: Most forms have names listed as last, first or first, last. You may have one that lists both ways! Just use your best judgment. It looks like you have the right idea. -- Wiedwoman 02:01, 29 April 2011 (UTC)

Q: I have a "name" that says Fr Emigrants. Should I skip it? Or should I key it like a company name in the first name box?

Prefixes and suffixes

Q: I have a document where the names have comments (lots of them) written next to them; like:

Stehler, Nicholas, son of Anthony

Stehler, Jno Nichl, son of Ludwig

Q: Do I skip the "son of..."? Do I add a line for Ludwig Stehler? or do I put son of... in the prefix or suffix column? Been a doozy of a day. Thanks for all of your guidance, I really mean it THANKS!

A: I would ignore 'son of' and only key Nicholas and Jno Nichl. -- Wiedwoman 02:06, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: In the first column all that is listed is "Father" as occupant. Do I put "Father" in Prefix? The second column has the name of owner, whose name also appears above "Father" in the first column.

A: An ambiguous case. Father would be a prefix in the context of a priest, as in Father Jacobson. However, it would not be a prefix if refers to someone's parent. Since only Father, and nothing else is listed, simply omit that entry. --Paulmd199 23:07, 3 May 2011 (UTC)

Q. If it says, "The Heirs of..." do I put that in the prefix field?

A: No, simply type in the name after "The Heirs of.."

Localities

Q: I have a form without a locality at the top. However, one of the column headings includes "Hopewell Tp", and the column has 5 or 6 ditto markings. Part way down the page, though, it switches to Woodberry Tp. Almost all of the rest are in this township, until near the end, where there is a single entry for Hopewell again, and then it reverts to Woodberry?My instinct is to list all occupants for Hopewell (skipping over the Woodberry entries until later), followed by all owners for Hopewell, then start a new section with all occupants for Woodberry, then all owners for Woodberry. Or is there another process preferred?

A: I think you would be doing this correctly. Sections for different locations and then insert people into the correct location. Wiedwoman 04:42, 28 April 2011 (UTC)

Q: I am keying a record that appears to be a list of localities within a county, rather than a list of owners/occupiers. The information given is:locality name; number of houses; number of outhouses; sum of the areas of owned land; sum of the valuations of owned landWhat would be the preferred method for keying these records?

A: I would add a section for each locality and put the persons under those localities. -- Wiedwoman 15:44, 1 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: I am new to this. I read all the help. Then went to my first page. There is no locality listed on the page. It seems to be page 10 of a group. The locality must be on the first page. What should I do?

A: If a locality is not present in the document, simply blank the field. Do not pull the information from another page. --Paulmd199 21:59, 3 May 2011 (UTC)

Thank you! Now I can enter the info.

Q: I have a document that is a list of townships or districts- but not people- should I process it as Form type 'Cover page' or, put each district on a seperate tab with no names on each?

A: List as a cover page since there are no people to key. -- Wiedwoman 00:44, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

Q: Top of page says "... the first assessment District in the third division of the state of Pennsylvania...." What should I write for location? (Thank you for all your help!)

A: I would just key third division. It would be either that or a blank and at least third division is something... -- Wiedwoman 17:11, 12 May 2011 (UTC)